SPC-1C and SPC-1C/E Benchmark Results

SPC-1C benchmark results provide a source of comparative storage performance information that is objective, relevant, and verifiable. That information will provide value throughout the storage product lifecycle, which includes development of product requirements, product implementation, performance tuning, capacity planning, market positioning, and purchase evaluations.

SPC Benchmark 1C (SPC-1C)
SPC-1C is designed to be vendor/platform independent and is applicable across a broad range of storage component products such as disk drives, host bus adapters (HBAs) intelligent enclosures, and storage software such as Logical Volume Managers. SPC-1C utilizes an identical workload as SPC-1, which is designed to demonstrate the performance of a storage component product while performing the typical functions of business critical applications. Those applications are characterized by predominately random I/O operations and require both queries as well as update operations. Examples of those types of applications include OLTP, database operations, and mail server implementations.

SPC-1C configurations consist of one or more HBAs/Controllers and one of the following storage device configurations:

• One (1), two (2), or (4) storage devices in a "standalone" configuration. An external enclosure may be used but only to provide power and/or connectivity for the storage devices.
• A "Small Storage Subsystem" configured with a maximum of forty-eight (48) storage devices in no larger than a 4U enclosure profile
  (1 - 4U, 2 - 2U, 4 - 1U, etc.).
  

SPC Benchmark 1C/Energy (SPC-1C/E)
The SPC-1C/E benchmark extension for storage components creates the first industry-standard storage benchmark that includes measurement and reporting of energy use in addition to storage performance. The SPC-1C/E benchmark extension utilizes the SPC-1C workload and incorporates the complete set of SPC-1C performance measurements and reporting.

In addition to the "core" SPC-1C performance measurement and reporting requirements, the SPC-1C/E benchmark extension defines the following:

• Two states of benchmark execution, idle and active (performance)
• Multiple idle phases to demonstrate power management/saving features
• Configuration and instrumentation requirements for energy use measurement
• Execution requirements for idle state measurements
• The transition into active (performance) state measurements
• Data collection requirements for energy use measurements
• Expanded disclosure and audit requirements to address the new energy use measurements and reported data
  

The SPC-1C/E benchmark extension is only applicable to the Small Storage Subsystems as described above in the SPC-1C section. SPC-1C/E energy use results cannot be reported without the corresponding SPC-1C performance results.  Additional details are available in an SPC-1C/E presentation available for viewing or download.

Any vendor should be able to sponsor and publish an SPC-1C or SPC-1C/E Result, provided their tested configuration satisfies the requirements of the SPC-1C benchmark specification and, when applicable, the additional requirements of the SPC-1C/E benchmark extension.

Listed below is a table of all current SPC-1C and SPC-1C/E Results. In addition, the following information is available to aid in comparing SPC Results as well understanding status levels and categorization applicable for each SPC Result:

• Comparing SPC Results
• SPC Peer Review Status
• Active/Inactive Status
• Revision Status
• Withdrawn Status

New SPC-1C/E Result		New SPC-1C/E Result

(updated: 3 June 2009)

Comparing SPC Results

When comparing SPC Results, the difference between the Tested Storage Configuration and the Tested Storage Product of each SPC Result must be considered.

Tested Storage Configuration (TSC)
The TSC consists of all storage hardware and software used to produce an SPC Result. Included in the TSC are all storage devices, controllers/adapters, enclosures, storage software, etc. The TSC represents a complete storage configuration.

Tested Storage Product (TSP)
The TSP is a distinct, customer orderable storage product, which is the focal point of an SPC Result. Each SPC Result is labeled with the formal name of the TSP. The TSP may essentially be identical to the Tested Storage Configuration. The TSP in those cases would typically include all of the storage hardware and software as a single customer orderable storage product. In other cases, the TSP may be a component of the Tested Storage Configuration such as a storage software product. In such cases, the Tested Storage Configuration consists of multiple, distinct customer orderable products including the TSP.

Accurate SPC Result Comparison
Comparison between SPC Results that only considers the Tested Storage Product may, in some cases, compare a total storage solution against a single component of a storage solution, which would be an inaccurate comparison. Accurate comparison of SPC Results compares the Tested Storage Configuration rather than the Tested Storage Product of each result, ensuring comparison between the total storage solution required to achieve each SPC Result.

SPC Peer Review Status

An SPC benchmark measurement becomes a new SPC benchmark result upon successful completion of the required SPC Audit and SPC submission process. The new SPC Result is initially given a Submitted for Review status for a minimum of 60 days during which the SPC Peer Review occurs. The SPC Peer Review allows SPC members an opportunity to review the details of the SPC Result and raise any compliance issues resulting from that review. If there are no compliance issues raised at the end of the SPC Peer Review, the status of the SPC Result will transition to an Accepted status. If compliance issues are raised during the SPC Peer Review and the SPC Result is found to be compliant with the appropriate SPC specification, the status of the SPC Result will transition to an Accepted status. If the SPC Result is found to be non-compliant during the SPC Peer Review, the SPC Result will either be withdrawn or revised to become compliant and then will transition to an Accepted status.

Active/Inactive Status

A new SPC benchmark result is automatically designated as Active. An existing SPC benchmark result may be designated as Inactive by the Test Sponsor. An Active SPC benchmark result typically becomes Inactive when the Test Sponsor no longer supports all components that were priced in the SPC benchmark result, but those components are available and supported via third-party suppliers. A Test Sponsor may also designate an existing SPC benchmark result as Inactive in cases where the SPC benchmark result references a product that has been superceded by a more recent model/version, but the original product is still available and/or supported by the Test Sponsor. Inactive SPC results remain on the SPC Benchmark Results website pages and may continue to be publicly referenced.

Revision Status

A Test Sponsor may voluntarily submit a revised Full Disclosure Report (FDR) to update pricing, component availability, or any other allowable change to an existing SPC Result. A Test Sponsor may also be required to submit a revised FDR to address confirmed compliance issues that were identified during the SPC Peer Review of an existing SPC Result. All revisions will be listed in the Key Dates and Revision Information section of the FDR and Executive Summary.

Withdrawn Status

An SPC Result may be withdrawn voluntarily by the Test Sponsor or as directed by the SPC. Each withdrawn SPC Result will be placed in one of the following three categories:

• Withdrawn 1: The SPC benchmark Result was voluntarily withdrawn by the Test Sponsor without any compliance issues raised concerning the SPC Result. This action is typically taken when an existing SPC Result references a product that is no longer supported or has been superceded by a more recent model/version.

• Withdrawn 2: The SPC Result was withdrawn by the Test Sponsor after one or more compliance issues were raised during the SPC Peer Review. The SPC Result was withdrawn prior to resolution of the compliance issue(s).

• Withdrawn 3: The SPC Result was withdrawn by the SPC after being ruled non-compliant with the appropriate SPC specification.
  

A withdrawn SPC Result will remain on the SPC Benchmark Results website pages for 120 days from the date of withdrawal and may be publicly referenced during that period as a withdrawn SPC Result. At the end of the 120-day period, the withdrawn SPC Result will be removed from the SPC Benchmark Results website pages and is no longer considered a SPC Result and should not be referenced as such.

.